Love Me
by HappyMand
Summary: Many years after Sarah, The Goblin King found the strength to go Aboveground, and learned to open his heart once again...
1. The First Chapter, Summoning

_Author Note: Hello, welcome to Love Me. This is just a little thing I threw together a couple of years ago that I wanted to share. It can also be found on Quizilla under the name green-brown :) I hope you enjoy it... do let me know what you think!_

Love Me

The First Chapter - Summoning

"I just can't deal with it anymore Lauren," Mark faltered a little, "I've found someone else."

You know that feeling when you feel like you're falling down really fast and your stomach leaves you? That's how I felt as the words left his mouth. Looking at my feet, I nodded slowly and tried to find the words.  
"Uh... right. OK... Mark?"  
He turned back to look at me. "I loved you." Those were the last words I ever said to him before I turned away and walked home.

Returning home, I flung myself on my bed and let the tears fall freely into my pillow. A knock on my door made me sit up and quickly dry my face. My mother walked in.  
"You alright Lauren?"  
"Fine mum, thanks. You and Jim off out tonight?"  
She nodded, receiving a frown from me. Her and Jim, my stepfather were always going out. I was usually out with Mark, so it'd never bothered me until now. I resented Jim, felt like he was replacing my father - I was being stupid of course, but at seventeen, who really understands?

So there I was, sat inside the house, slouching on the sofa with a packet of crisps. Telly was crap as usual, so off that went. The bookcase was still littered with my childhood stories; the beautiful princess rescued by her handsome prince. I was suddenly angered, they never told you what happened after they walked off into the sunset, they were never dumped, used, cheated on. It made life seem so unfair.

I began to cry again, I truly loved Mark and he'd hurt me badly, I'd given up so much for him: social life, friends, even virginity then he showed his gratitude by trading me in for a better model?! I felt wronged, that I deserved better.  
I got off the sofa looking into the mirror above the fireplace, I wiped my tears and spoke to my reflection as though I were comforting a friend, "Lauren, you deserve better, a prince of sorts even a bloody king! Just like the ones in your stories- the nutcracker prince, prince charming, King of frogs... The Goblin King!"  
I smiled as the memory of one of my tales returned to me. I picked the volume up off the bookshelf, the title escapes me to this day. I opened it and read out a line, "I wish the king of the goblins would take you away - right now!" I laughed.  
"Ha, I wish the king of the goblins would take me away... right now."

I sank to the floor, tears spilling down my cheeks. I missed Mark and no story was going to make me feel better.

I heard a rattle at the living room window that made me jump. I pulled back the curtain to find an Owl fluttering at the window, I breathed a sigh and banged my hand on the window "bugger off!"  
Still the Owl flapped its wings furiously. I opened the front door to shoo it away, I couldn't hear the flapping anymore so I made to close the door, suddenly I saw the owl flying straight towards me, instinctively I ducked.  
I turned round looking to see where it had gone and jumped back again. A man was stood in my living room.

"Get out, I'll call the police." I managed to stammer at him, having no idea how he'd got there.

The man smiled, damn, he was dressed weird - clad in black with some huge cloak draped over his shoulders. "You summoned me did you not?"  
"I what? Who the hell are you and how did you get in?" I was scared and confused, some weird bloke lets himself into my house what the hell do I do?

"You summoned me, surely you recall Lauren. I am he."  
My mind flashed back. "You must be joking, you're one of my friends aren t you? How else would you know my name..."  
"I know more than you think my dear, all about you, I told you... I am he."  
"The Goblin King? You're having a laugh..." I was left speechless and backing towards the door. He smiled at me.  
"Do I frighten you?" he asked, smiling at my nodding reply, "There's no need - I'm here to take you away from the fear, resentment and heartbreak you face in this dull place. Come here."

I obliged, still afraid as he wrapped his cloaked arm around my shoulders and the wind from outside entered the house before everything went black...


	2. The Second Chapter, The Underground

_Author note: Here's the second chapter, many thanks to "Princess of the fae" and "Dragonfly2224" for alerting and favourite-ing Love Me. Now, on with the story - enjoy!_

The Second Chapter - The Underground

A light flickered near my eyes which flew open, blinking wildly against the light. The king was the first thing I saw before I looked around, I was lying on a bed in a stone built room. I sat up and looked at the king.  
"Where are we?"  
He smiled at me again, his eyes were different I noticed - one icy blue and the other a darkish colour, black or brown... intriguing! "You're in my castle, Lauren."

I dived off the bed and stood up looking around, was this some kind of prison? It can't have been a castle. I was dreaming, that was it... I'd wake up any minute. I closed my eyes and slapped my face a few times. When I opened them I was still in the 'castle'. The king gave me a puzzled look.  
"What on earth are you doing?" he asked.  
"Trying to wake up!" I yelled back, now in a full blown panic. I was in a strange place away from home and Mark, then it dawned on me - I'd been kidnapped.  
I sat down again "Why have you taken me? My family aren't rich, you'll not get a ransom."

"You don't understand do you Lauren? This is not a dream, you're no longer in your world. Welcome to the Underground, land of the Goblins." He stood and went to the window, looking out to the horizon. "All this is what I rule, I did not joke with you. I am the goblin king, ruler of The Underground, I am Jareth. And of course, that's what you may call me."

So I was trapped in some secret hobbit-like world with Jareth, the man with the odd dress sense, the weird eyes, an eighties mullet and some kind of power over me, I could not yet describe.

"Do I still frighten you?" he asked. Again I nodded, as confused as ever. "Don't worry, in time you'll come to accept me, and thank me."  
"Thank you?"  
"Yes, I've taken you from the place in which you keep getting hurt. Where parents are more interested in their new partners, where friends desert you, the place of hurt, deceit, the world with Mark."  
"Don't you dare use him to get me on your side," I said unsteadily "I loved him, yes. How did you know anyway?"  
"I told you, I know more than you think." This got me thinking, he knew everything about me, it was all I could do not to ask if he could read my thoughts. I joined him at the window and surveyed his land, I was going to be here a while, I'd better start getting used to it.


	3. The Third Chapter, Feelings

_Author Note: Hello, just a short, transition chapter for you, hopefully it'll start to make a bit of sense; Thankyou for the reviews. Please review, I like to know what people think, positive or otherwise :)_

The Third Chapter - Feelings

Jareth stroked Lauren's hair as she slept.  
It was the first time all night she'd looked peaceful. He felt bad taking her away but he was bound by his word, and hers, after all she'd summoned him. The company was an added bonus. Often lonely, Jareth had wandered into the upper world in search of company, which was how he'd found her, he couldn't deny he thought she was beautiful. It was fair to say he'd a bit of crush on her, as much as he hated such a phrase.  
_  
All we need is to understand one another_ he thought as he turned away sulkily. _Not going to happen, she's too headstrong, we'll never fit together_. He gave a large sigh as he finally lay down to sleep.


	4. The Fourth Chapter, Fixing It

_Author Note: Hello, fourth chapter... again lot's of thanks for those of you who have added this as a favourite, it means a lot to me. Here it is then, enjoy, and don't forget to let me knwow hat you think, good or bad!!_

The Fourth Chapter - Fixing It

I awoke the next morning with a sadness in me. I was no longer Mark's girlfriend. No matter where I was the thought played on my mind and it upset me. I turned over to find a crease in the bed where Jareth had been. I sat up and scanned the room for him. I didn't want to be alone here, so I walked through the door and down a set of stairs where I found Jareth in a large room surrounded by small creatures.

"Quiet!" he shouted when he saw me, silencing the creatures I took to be his servants. He stood and came towards me.  
"Good morning. I trust you slept well." I nodded in response. "Good, would you like to get out of the castle?" Again, I nodded, feeling nervous around the mass of creatures around the room.

We walked together into the castle yard, a bare space, it was dusty yet there was something settling about it.  
"How are you feeling today Lauren?" Jareth asked me.  
"Uh... Alright thank you, I guess... I feel shit." I confessed to him.  
"Is it being here that upsets you so?"  
I shook my head, "It's just... I loved him, he was my world and then..."  
"He finds someone who looks more like Jennifer Aniston than you do." Jareth finished as I held back the tears. He looked at me and placed his hand under my chin, tilting my face up to face his. "You can cry you know, if it'll make you feel any better."  
How was he so understanding? My face crumpled and the tears came. Jareth took his arm around me as he had the night before, pulling me close to him. I pushed my face into his chest and continued to sob. I felt his hand stroke my hair soothingly. He was so gentle and soon calmed me down.  
"Hurt takes time to heal Lauren. You mustn't make yourself feel worse by expecting too much of yourself." I nodded into his chest, breathing in his masculine smell. "What was so special about this guy anyway, he treated you badly."  
I pushed away from him and perched on the castle steps. He hadn't treated me that badly, or hadn't he. He cheated on me - that was enough.  
"Well, he was hot, took me to the cinema, let me come see him at work, he made me have the best year of my life."  
I looked to the side to see that Jareth had joined me on the steps. "He really didn't deserve you, you know." I turned to smile at Jareth who looked into my eyes. I felt like I was being soul searched, yet also mesmerised by him, in every way, not just the eyes, everything about him. I was under his spell, after just hours of knowing him, I felt as though I had my whole life.

Jareth reached for my hand, which was on my lap, and brought me closer to him. Our knees were touching, sending shivers through me. My breathing quickened as I gazed back into those eyes of his. He moved his face closer to mine and our lips touched for a brief second before he took them away from me.  
Jareth looked away, he seemed ashamed. I looked at him, afraid to touch him. "Jareth?"  
He turned back to me, smiling. He put his hand to my face and brought me to his lips again. I felt something new as he kissed me, something that took all the pain away. Something wonderful.

We broke apart and Jareth stared at me. "Do I frighten you now?" I smiled in response and shook my head.


End file.
